Live Review: Dirty Three

When Dirty Three were asked to come out of semi-retirement to play Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House, it’s not like they could say no, but Warren Ellis admitted, “We didn’t know what the fuck we were going to do.” He went on to thank The Cure’s Robert Smith for the suggestion that they should play their first album, 25 years since it was recorded, in full.

The trio entered to the strains of Boz Scaggs’ Lido Shuffle; the refrain of, “One more for the road,” a seemingly tongue-in-cheek jab at their sporadic reunions, with this show marking three years between drinks.

“Thank fuck for you,” announced Ellis, violinist, accordionist and eclectic frontman of the trio. The sold-out Opera House whooped in glee as Ellis raised his arms to the crowd, soaking up the adulation. His opening monologue would set the tone for an evening where the between-song banter was almost as anticipated as the music.

Ellis declared, “I’ve been locked up for a long time in a cage!” and judging by the longer-than-usual hair and beard, you might have agreed. But finally, the music began and Ellis was released from captivity, leading into the extraordinarily epic, Indian Love Song. The song went for around 15 minutes, the repeated hypnotic riff building before it exploded into an avalanche of frantic noise and bristling energy. It was the most breathtaking start to a show.

How do you back up after an opener like that? You make sure to pace yourself and Better Go Home Soon with its more deliberate rhythm saw drummer Jim White and guitarist Mick Turner sitting back in the groove while we witnessed Ellis cut loose on the violin. He threw himself around the stage, waving his bow wildly over his head, wielding his violin like a weapon. The crowd were stunned; we couldn’t take our eyes off him.

Ellis’ theatrics were tempered by the cool and almost casual style of Mick Turner. Turner's playing shouldn’t be underestimated though, particularly when combined with the all-encompassing drums and percussion from Jim White. A tambourine here, a woodblock there, a well-placed shaker in between; it’s seamless and ties the trio together in a way that seems rhythmically impossible.

The crowd was a part of the show from start to finish, be it the lucky few spinning a ‘space belt’ around their head in Kim’s Dirt, or simply just being at one with the sound that engulfed them. It was a journey that we all shared and one that would stay with us.

Everything’s Fucked, prefaced by a dedication to Grinspoon’s Phil Jamieson and announced as an attempt at “a hit single that went terribly wrong”, was as raw in energy as it was tender in its delivery. As usual, they got the balance right.

On harmonica, Tony Wyzenbeek gave The Last Night the depth it deserved, expertly duelling with Ellis on a track that felt as precarious as it was beautiful.

The performance of the album highlights an important moment in the time for the band; their first album, their first gigs, their first time writing songs in an era of grunge and commercialism.

Dirty Three’s music shows that art comes in whatever form you want it to. They created something that stands alone and remains an integral part of this country’s music history, just as this concert will stand as a fitting monument to a group that Australia should be overwhelmingly proud of.